We have investigated whether (i) endotoxaemia caused by E. coli lipopolysaccharide in the anaesthetized rat causes a multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS; e.g. circulatory failure, renal failure, liver failure), and (ii) an enhanced formation of nitric oxide (NO) due to induction of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) contributes to the MODS. In addition, this study elucidates the beneficial and adverse effects of aminoethyl‐isothiourea (AE‐ITU), a relatively selective inhibitor of iNOS activity, and N^G‐methyl‐l‐arginine (l‐NMMA), a non‐selective inhibitor of NOS activity on the MODS caused by endotoxaemia.

In the anaesthetized rat, LPS caused a fall in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) from 117±3mmHg (time 0) to 97±4mmHg at 2 h (P<0.05, n=15) and 84±4mmHg at 6 h (P < 0.05, n= 15). The pressor effect of noradrenaline (NA, 1 μg kg⁻¹, i.v.) was also significantly reduced at 1 to 6 h after LPS (vascular hyporeactivity). Treatment of LPS‐rats with AE‐ITU (1 mg kg⁻¹, i.v. plus 1 mg kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ starting at 2 h after LPS) caused only a transient rise in MAP, but significantly attenuated the delayed vascular hyporeactivity seen in LPS‐rats. Infusion of l‐NMMA (3 mg kg⁻¹, i.v. plus 3 mg kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) caused a rapid and sustained rise in MAP and attenuated the delayed vascular hyporeactivity to NA. Neither AE‐ITU nor l‐NMMA had any effect on either MAP or the pressor effect elicited by NA in rats infused with saline rather than LPS.

Endotoxaemia for 6 h was associated with a significant rise in the serum levels of aspartate or alanine aminotransferase (i.e. GOT or GPT), γ‐glutamyl‐transferase (γGT), and bilirubin, and hence, fiver dysfunction. Treatment of LPS‐rats with AE‐ITU significantly attenuated this liver dysfunction (rise in GOT, GPT, yGT and bilirubin) (P <0.05, n=10). In contrast, l‐NMMA reduced the increase in the serum levels of γGT and bilirubin, but not in GOT and GPT (n = 5). Injection of LPS also caused a time‐dependent, but rapid (almost maximal at 2 h), increase in the serum levels of urea and creatinine, and hence, renal dysfunction. This renal dysfunction was not affected by either AE‐ITU (n= 10) or l‐NMMA (n= 5). In rats infused with saline rather than LPS, neither AE‐ITU (n = 4) nor l‐NMMA (n = 4) had any significant effect on the serum levels of GOT* GPT, yGT, bilirubin, creatinine or urea.

Endotoxaemia for 6 h resulted in a 4.5 fold rise in the serum levels of nitrite (9.13 ±0.77 μm, P < 0.01, n= 15), which was significantly reduced by treatment with AE‐ITU (6.32±0.48 μm, P <0.05, n=10) or l‐NMMA (5.10±0.40 μm, P < 0.05, n = 5). In addition, endotoxaemia for 6 h was also associated with a significant increase in iNOS activity in lung and liver homogenates, which was significantly reduced in lung or liver homogenates obtained from LPS‐rats treated with either AE‐ITU or l‐NMMA.

Thus, AE‐ITU or l‐NMMA (i) inhibits iNOS activity in LPS‐rats without causing a significant increase in MAP in rats infused with saline and, hence inhibition of endothelial NOS activity, and (ii) attenuates the delayed circulatory failure as well as the liver dysfunction caused by endotoxaemia in the rat. Thus, an enhanced formation of NO may contribute to the development of fiver failure in endotoxic shock.